Forsythia plant named `Fairy-Land`

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Forsythia named `Fairy-Land` characterized by its relatively small shrub size, its small lanceolate foliage, and the varying number, between four and eight, of petals on its flowers.

This invention relates to a new cultivar of Forsythia named "Fairy-Land", which is characterized especially by its small overall size, its simple, minimally serrate, lanceolate foliage, and the varying number of flower petals, from four to eight, on a single corolla.

The new variety was derived as a seedling from a vegetative line of mutants, which had been produced in turn by subjecting rooted cuttings of the parent Forsythia intermedia `Lynwood Gold` (a sport of F. intermedia "Spectabilis") to irradiation with 1,200 rad fast neutrons.

In 1968, three hundred cuttings of "Lynwood Gold" that had been potted and held in cold storage (38° F.) for six weeks and then returned to the greenhouse for two days were irradiated with 1200 rad fast neutrons. One of the plants of this group that broke dormancy formed a shoot with variegated foliage. This plant was cut back repeatedly to induce branching and eventually formed shoots that exhibited different characteristics. Each shoot was propagated by stem cuttings over 10 vegetative generations of selection and propagation. From this plant population two vegetatively selected types and three seedlings were selected. Further propagation and testing of these selections over several more years were shown to be the stable and new forsythia varieties that are the subject of this and four other co-pending plant patent applications; viz:

    ______________________________________                                         Ser. No.   Name           Type                                                 ______________________________________                                         272,063    "Lemon-Screen" vegetative selection                                 273,489    "Tinkle Bells" vegetative selection                                 271,919    "Minikin"      seedling                                             271,665    "Fairy Land"   seedling                                             271,666    "Pygmy-Red"    seedling                                             ______________________________________                                    

Each differs greatly from the parent "Lynwood Gold" and also from one another.

"Fairy-Land" was selected at the seedling stage because of its bright green color, small linear foliage, and short internodes. Cuttings from this plant have been rooted in soil and asexually propagated, and its progeny have displayed homogeneous and stable characteristics.

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small letter signify that the name of the color as used in common speech are aptly descriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designate values based on the R.H.S. Colour Chart, published by The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the new variety in color as grown in Knox County within the State of Tennessee.

FIG. 1 illustrates "Fairy-Land" as a 51/2 old plant in bloom in the spring.

FIG. 2 shows flowered cut stems of "Fairy-Land".

FIG. 3 is a close-up view of the flowers of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates the "Fairy-Land" plant in summer foliage.

FIG. 5 is a closer view of the foliage shown in FIG. 4. The white label is 0.6 in. wide and 5 inches long.

The following characteristics distinguish "Fairy-Land" from its parent and other Forsythia cultivars:

THE PLANT

"Fairy-Land", because of its small overall stature (3' to 4' in height and 5' to 6' in width at maturity) and dense foliage as a young plant, is very well suited for culture in nursery plant containers. The plant exhibits good vigor for its size, is hardy to Zone 6b (or lower) and develops few seed pods. The low, broad, attractively dense and fine textured "Fairy-Land" plant form, both in bloom and when in leaf, make this cultivar suitable for a wide range of landscape applications.

Its parent, "Lynwood Gold", by contrast is tall and slender--a straight upright variety with erect stems and which attains a height of 6 ft. to 71/2 ft. at maturity.

"Fairy-Land" is suited for applications ranging from mass planting and area delineation to use as a container plant on patios and plazas. Whereas, "Fairy-Land" shares several characteristics with the related Minikin cultivar, "Fairy-Land" is distinguished from Minikin in its somewhat larger shrub size, larger foliage, larger flowers, and in the larger average number of petals per flower.

FLOWER

"Fairy-Land" flowers at an intermediate date with deep yellow flowers (Yellow 6A) about 3/4" to 11/4" in width and appear two to four per node, the internodes being 1/2 in. to 1 in. long. Although the flower petals generally number four, many of the blooms have five, six, seven, or eight petals on a single corolla. The corolla lobes are small and reflexed. The pistils extend 3/25 in. to 4/25 in. above the pollen sacs of the stamen.

The "Lynwood Gold" parent is fertile and has pistils that extend well above its pollen sacs, is late flowering and its medium sized flowers (about 1" to 11/2" in diameter) are almost evenly spaced on the stem. The flowers of "Lynwood Gold" are brilliant yellow (lighter than its parent, F. Spectabilis). The corolla lobes of "Lynwood Gold" are reflexed and its petals are large, broad open and elliptic.

SHOOTS

The shoots of "Fairy-Land" are light green when young and brownish green when mature. Its pith is slightly lamellate between nodes.

The stems of the "Lynwood Gold" parent are green when young and brown when mature; they are a bit stiff; the pith at the nodes is lamellate, and on one year shoots, the stems between nodes are hollow.

FOLIAGE

The leaves of "Fairy-Land" are a rather light medium green on both young and mature plants. In the fall they are mostly faded yellow. The leaves are simple, lanceolate, acuminate at the tip and attenuate at the base. The leaves on flowering wood are 0.2 to 0.4 in. wide and 11/2 to 21/2 in. long and not serrate. On vegetative shoots the leaves are 0.5 in. to 0.6 in. wide and about 3 in. long and serrate on the top 1/3. Leaf venation is pinnate. A fine textured appearance results from closely spaced foliage, particularly on the flowering wood, where the internodes are generally 1/4 in. to less than 1 in.

The leaves of the "Lynwood Gold" parent, on the other hand, are ovate lanceolate in shape and about 3" to 41/2" long and about 1" to 11/2" wide. Both young and old leaves are deep green in color.

To facilitate the comparison of the characteristics and features of "Fairy-Land", the subject of this application, and its parent, "Lynwood Gold" and also with the four other new mutant offspring varieties of "Lynwood Gold" referred to above, there are attached hereto as Tables 1-5 comparative tabulations of the characteristics and properties of parent and its five offspring mutants that were developed from a single irradiated plant of "Lynwood Gold." Table 1 compares "Fairy-Land" and its parent "Lynwood Gold". Table 2 compares "Fairy-Land" and "Pygmy-Red". Table 3 compares "Fairy Land" and "Tinkle Bells". Table 4 compares "Fairy-Land" and "Minikin". Table 5 compares "Fairy-Land" and "Lemon Screen".

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         Ser. No. 271,665                                                               ______________________________________                                                        FAIRY LAND                                                      ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit          Small overall & fine textured:                                                 Closely spaced flowers & leaves                                                Dense (young) foilage                                           Size, height   3'-4'                                                           Size, width    5'-6'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor for size                                             Hardiness      Zone 6b (or lower)                                              Productivity   Few seed pods                                                   Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Light green                                                     Color (mature) Brownish green                                                  Rigidity       Very flexible lamellate between                                                nodes                                                           Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Medium green (fairly light)                                     (mature)       Medium green (fairly light)                                     (fall)         Mostly faded yellow                                             Shape          Lanceolate                                                      tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        On flowering wood; entire                                                      On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3                             Size                                                                           length         On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"                                                 On vegatative shoots: about 3"                                  width          On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"                                                   On vegetative shoots 0.5-0.6"                                   Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    3/4"-11/4"                                                      Color          Yellow (6A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Reflexed, small                                                 Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and                                              8 on single corolla                                             Pistils        Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen                                             sacs (anthers) of the stamen                                    Number per node                                                                               2-4                                                             Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems                                                               Internodes     1/4" to about 1"                                                Stress Resistance                                                              Utility Aspects                                                                               Very well suited for                                                           container culture                                               ______________________________________                                                        LYNWOOD GOLD                                                    ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit          Tall, slender-Upright straight &                                               erect stems                                                     Size, height   6'-71/2'                                                        Size, width                                                                    Vigor                                                                          Hardiness                                                                      Productivity   Fertile                                                         Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Green                                                           Color (mature) Brown                                                           Rigidity       A bit stiff; pith nodes lamellate;                                             hollow between nodes on one                                                    year shoots                                                     Leaves                                                                         Type                                                                           Color                                                                          (young)        Deep Green                                                      (mature)       Deep Green                                                      (fall)                                                                         Shape          ovate lanceolate                                                tip                                                                            base                                                                           margins                                                                        Size                                                                           length         3-41/2"                                                         width          1-11/2"                                                         Venation                                                                       Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Late                                                            Size: width    1"-11/2" (medium)                                               Color          Brillant Yellow                                                                (lighter than its parent                                                       Spectabilis)                                                    Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Reflexed                                                        Petals: number Large, broad, open                                                             Elliptic                                                        Pistils        Extend well above pollen                                                       sacs (anthers) of stamens                                       Number per node                                                                Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems                                                               Internodes     Flowers almost evenly spaced                                                   on stems                                                        Stress Resistance                                                              Utility Aspects                                                                ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 271,665                                                               FAIRY LAND                                                      ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit          Small overall & fine textured:                                                 Closely spaced flowers & leaves                                                Dense (young) foliage                                           Size, height   3'-4'                                                           Size, width    5'-6'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor for size                                             Hardiness      Zone 6b (or lower)                                              Productivity   Few seed pods                                                   Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Light green                                                     Color (mature) Brownish green                                                  Rigidity       Very flexible lamellate between                                                nodes                                                           Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Medium green (fairly light)                                     (mature)       Medium green (fairly light)                                     (fall)         Mostly faded yellow                                             Shape          Lanceolate                                                      tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        On flowering wood; entire                                                      On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3                             Size                                                                           length         On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"                                                 On vegatative shoots: about 3"                                  width          On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"                                                   On vegatative shoots 0.5-0.6"                                   Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    3/4"-11/4"                                                      Color          Yellow (6A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Reflexed, small                                                 Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and                                              8 on single corolla                                             Pistils        Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen                                             sacs (anthers) of the stamen                                    Number per node                                                                               2-4                                                             Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems                                                               Internodes:    1/4" to about 1"                                                Stress Resistance                                                              Utility Aspects                                                                               Very well suited for                                                           container culture                                               ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 271,666                                                               PYGMY RED                                                       ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit          Low, loose graceful                                                            arching to ground                                               Size, height   31/2'-41/2'                                                     Size, width    5'-6'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor                                                      Hardiness      Hardy Zone 6b (or lower)                                        Productivity   Readily roots where branches                                                   touch ground few seed pods                                      Stems                                                                          Color (young)  High anthocyanin                                                Color (mature) Purple Red (59A)                                                Rigidity       Flexible lamellate between nodes                                Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Dark Green                                                      (mature)       Dark Green                                                      (fall)         Anthocyanin (maroon) expressed                                                 in full sun                                                     Shape          Lanceolate (few lobed                                                          leaves on vegetative shoots)                                    tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        Serrate                                                         Size                                                                           length         2"-21/2" on flowering wood;                                                    to 23/4" on vegatative wood                                     width          0.3"-0.4" on flowering wood;                                                   to 1" on vegetative wood                                        Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    11/4"-11/2"                                                     Color          Yellow (7A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Narrow                                                          Petals: number 4 - sometimes 5                                                 Pistils        Extend 2/25"-3/25" above                                                       pollen sacs of stamens                                          Number per node                                                                               2                                                               Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems                                                               Internodes     1"-11/2" (11/2" even on                                                        fast growing shoots)                                            Stress Resistance                                                                             disease and insect                                              Utility Aspects                                                                ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 271,665                                                               FAIRY LAND                                                      ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit:         Small overall & fine textured:                                                 Closely spaced flowers & leaves                                                Dense (young) foliage                                           Size, height   3'-4'                                                           Size, width    5'-6'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor for size                                             Hardiness      Zone 6b (or lower)                                              Productivity   Few seeds pods                                                  Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Light green                                                     Color (mature) Brownish green                                                  Rigidity       Very flexible lamellate between                                                nodes                                                           Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Medium green (fairly light)                                     (mature)       Medium green (fairly light)                                     (fall)         Mostly faded yellow                                             Shape          Lanceolate                                                      tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        On flowering wood; entire                                                      On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3                             Size                                                                           length         On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"                                                 on vegatative shoots: about 3"                                  width          On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"                                                   On vegetative shoots 0.5-0.6"                                   Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    3/4"-11/4"                                                      Color:         Yellow (6A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Reflexed, small                                                 Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and                                              8 on single corolla                                             Pistils:       Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen                                             sacs (anthers) of the stamen                                    Number per node:                                                                              2-4                                                             Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems:                                                              Internodes:    1/4" to about 1"                                                Stress Resistance:                                                             Utility Aspects:                                                                              Very well suited for                                                           container culture                                               ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 273,489                                                               TINKLE BELLS                                                    ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit:         Semi-dwarf; Upright                                             Size, height   4'-41/2'                                                        Size, width                                                                    Vigor          Medium vigor                                                    Hardiness      Hardy Zone 6b (or lower)                                        Productivity   Does not layer naturally (replicates                                           from stools (no seed pods observed)                             Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Yellow Green                                                    Color (mature) Light brown                                                     Rigidity       Sparsely lamellate between                                                     nodes - Rigid                                                   Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Medium green                                                    (mature)       Medium green                                                    (fall)         Faded green to yellow                                           Shape          Elliptical                                                      tip            Acute on flower shoots                                                         accuminate on vegetative shoots                                 base                                                                           margins        serrate on upper 1/3 near tip                                   Size                                                                           length         2"-3" (with petiole)                                            width          1/2"                                                            Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Early                                                           Size: width    1/2"-3/4" at 45° angle                                   Color:         Bright Yellow (7B)                                              Corolla                                                                        length         1/2" open to 45° angle                                   lobes          not reflexed during prime                                       Petals: number 4; occasionally 5 or 6                                          Pistils:       short: anthers slightly                                                        below stigma portion of pistil                                  Number per node:                                                                              2; often 4 per node                                             Insertion angle                                                                               buds & flowers pendulous                                        on upright stems:                                                              Internodes:    1/2"-11/2"                                                      Stress Resistance:                                                                            Disease and insect                                              Utility Aspects:                                                                              Can force flowering suitable                                                   for container culture                                           ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 271,665                                                               FAIRY LAND                                                      ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit          Small overall & fine textured:                                                 Closely spaced flowers & leaves                                                Dense (young) foliage                                           Size, height   3'-4'                                                           Size, width    5'-6'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor for size                                             Hardiness      Zone 6b (or lower)                                              Productivity   Few seed pods                                                   Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Light green                                                     Color (mature) Brownish green                                                  Rigidity       Very flexible lamellate between                                                nodes                                                           Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Medium green (fairly light)                                     (mature)       Medium green (fairly light)                                     (fall)         Mostly faded yellow                                             Shape          Lanceolate                                                      tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        On flowering wood; entire                                                      On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3                             Size                                                                           length         On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"                                                 On vegatative shoots: about 3"                                  width          On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"                                                   On vegatative shoots 0.5-0.6"                                   Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    3/4"-11/4"                                                      Color          Yellow (6A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Reflexed, small                                                 Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and                                              8 on single corolla                                             Pistils        Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen                                             sacs (anthers) of the stamen                                    Number per node                                                                               2-4                                                             Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems                                                               Internodes     1/4" to about 1"                                                Stress Resitance                                                               Utility Aspects                                                                               Very well suited for                                                           container culture                                               ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 271,919                                                               MINIKIN                                                         ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit          Small stature, fine textured; small                                            leaves and small stems; densely                                                foliated                                                        Size, height   2'-21/2'                                                        Size, width    3'-4'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor but slow growth                                      Hardiness      Zone 6b (or lower)                                              Productivity   Layers naturally                                                               Abundant seed pods                                              Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Light green                                                     Color (mature) Brownish green                                                  Rigidity       Ascending strongly                                                             lamellate between nodes                                         Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Bright green to dark green                                      (mature)       Bright green to dark green                                      (fall)         Fading green until leaf drop                                    Shape          Linear                                                          tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        Lightly serrate                                                 Size                                                                           length         On vegetative shoots-11/2" attached                                            to 1/2" long slender petiole;                                                  smaller on flowering shoots                                     width          On vegetative shoots - 1/4";                                    Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    1/2"-3/4" (cup shaped) fully reflexed                           Color          Yellow (9A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          strongly reflexed, very small                                   Petals: number 4:- short and recurved                                          Pistils        Short; 1/25" below pollen                                                      sacs of stamens                                                 Number per node                                                                               2-4                                                             Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems                                                               Internodes     Short (Flowering shoots 1/4-3/4"                                               Vegetative shoots up to 2")                                     Stress Resistance                                                                             Doesn't require same degree                                                    of winter protection as most                                                   container grown plants of genre                                 Utility Aspects                                                                               Blooming can be forced. Especially                                             suited for container culture.                                   ______________________________________                                    

                  TABLE 5                                                          ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 271,665                                                               FAIRY LAND                                                      ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit:         Small overall & fine textured:                                                 Closely spaced flowers & leaves                                                Dense (young) foliage                                           Size, height   3'-4'                                                           Size, width    5'-6'                                                           Vigor          Good vigor for size                                             Hardiness      Zone 6b (or lower)                                              Productivity   Few seed pods                                                   Stems                                                                          Color (young)  Light green                                                     Color (mature) Brownish green                                                  Rigidity       Very flexible lamellate between                                                nodes                                                           Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Medium green (fairly light)                                     (mature)       Medium green (fairly light)                                     (fall)         Mostly faded yellow                                             Shape          Lanceolate                                                      tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        On flowering wood; entire                                                      On vegetative wood: serrate top 1/3                             Size                                                                           length         On flowering wood: 11/2"-21/2"                                                 On vegatative shoots: about 3"                                  width          On flowering wood: 0.2"-0.4"                                                   On vegatative shoots 0.5-0.6"                                   Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Intermediate                                                    Size: width    3/4"-11/4"                                                      Color:         Yellow (6A)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Reflexed, small                                                 Petals: number Generally 4-many have 5, 6, 7 and                                              8 on single corolla                                             Pistils:       Extend 3/25" to 4/25" above pollen                                             sacs (anthers) of the stamen                                    Number per node:                                                                              2-4                                                             Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems:                                                              Internodes:    1/4" to about 1"                                                Stress Resistance:                                                             Utility Aspects:                                                                              Very well suited for                                                           container culture                                               ______________________________________                                                        Ser. No. 272,063                                                               LEMON SCREEN                                                    ______________________________________                                         Plant                                                                          Habit:         Tall, open and graceful; Upright,                                              fan shape; vigorous; open foliage                               Size, height   Up to 10'                                                       Size, width    Hardy Zone 6b (or lower)                                        Vigor          Vigorous                                                        Hardiness                                                                      Productivity   Abundant Flowers/highly sterile/                                               pruned wood branches quickly                                    Stems                                                                          Color (young)                                                                  Color (mature) Yellow                                                          Rigidity       Slightly lamellate between nodes                                Leaves                                                                         Type           Simple                                                          Color                                                                          (young)        Yellow green 151 B or Chartreuse                                               (appear after flowering)                                        (mature)       Normal green (Yellow-Green 144)                                                whitish blotches                                                (fall)         Greyed Purple 187 B                                             Shape                                                                          tip            Accuminate                                                      base           Attenuate                                                       margins        Serrate                                                         Size                                                                           length         Not distinguishing                                              width          Not distinguishing                                              Venation       Pinnate                                                         Flower                                                                         Date of Flowering                                                                             Early                                                           Size: width    11/2"-13/4"                                                     Color:         Yellow (6C)                                                     Corolla                                                                        length                                                                         lobes          Somewhat reflexed                                               Petals: number 4, sometimes fasciated                                          Pistils:       aborted stamens &/or pistils                                    Number per node:                                                                              4 to 8                                                          Insertion angle                                                                on upright stems:                                                              Internodes:    1" to 2" long on flowering wood                                 Stress Resistance:                                                                            Summer foliage disease & insect                                                resistant                                                       Utility Aspects:                                                                              Summer pruning leads to shoot                                                  with chartreuse leaves (young)                                  ______________________________________                                     

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Forsythia named `Fairy-Land`, substantially as shown and described herein. 